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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| France told Syria: Half plus one quorum or no conditions before vote |
| 2007-12-26 |
| A reliable March 14 source has revealed that the parliament will very soon present to Lebanon’s speaker Nabih Berri a draft to amend the constitution in order to elect General Michel Suleiman as president. The source asserted that the majority is very serious about moving ahead on the amendment regardless of the objections it may face. The source confirmed that the special emergency session of the parliament will not only be responsible for amending the constitution but also to approve the budget and other vital issues . The source also asserted that it is unconstitutional to elect a government employee without amending the constitution . Speaker Berri has announced few days back that there will be no need to amend the constitution in order to elect General Suleiman. The source revealed that the majority has refused to negotiate with Aoun , because he is dictating his conditions as if they are not subject to any negotiations . He added first things first …lets elect first a president and then all the conditions of the opposition are negotiable with the new president . The source revealed that Paris has already told Damascus “ Either the president of Lebanon is elected based on a quorum of half plus one or General Suleiman should be elected without any preconditions.” Another reliable march 14 source has revealed that the government has been discussing the idea of replacing the Shiite ministers that have resigned over a year ago . The candidates are : Ibrahim Mohammad Mehdi Shamseddine, former Minister Mohammed Abdel-Hamid Beydoun, Deputy Ghazi Youssef, Ali Sabri Hamadeh or businessman Fadi Younis. Other candidates are being discussed with the prominent Al-Assaad family. Bassem el Sabaa was also considered as a candidate but he turned this down. As with regards to replacing the assassinated minister Pierre Gemayel, both his father Amine Gemayel and his brother Sami have turned down the offer to replace him. The other candidates that are being discussed are: Michel Khoury, former adviser to the former minister Pierre Gemayel , or former Minister Edmond Rizk and possibly others. The Phalange party , which is headed by former president Amine Gemayel may be meeting soon to discuss the issue. |
| Posted by:Fred |